Forum Activity for @Alek Dabo

Very late and this is the whole story of making the chocolate. But it include the winnower in action.

Miracle cacao02

Bye,

I'm doing their Chocolatier class. Its very thorough, and you get a ton out of it, if you spend the time and do the work/practice. You only get out of it as much as you're willing to put into it. Its called a part-time intensive, but its heavy on the intensive part! I've fortunately got time to work at it daily, so I'm getting a lot of great experience and a ton of practice.

Hi there,

I am wondering in what form do you add sorbitol to ganache. I purchased sorbitol in powder form. Should I add that straight to the cream mixture for my ganache? Or should I create a sorbitol solution? If a solution is necessary, how much water should I add? Thanks for your input!

Daniel

Guittard Organic Bittersweet Wafers – 66% Cacao 38% fat content.

25lb cases.

Great chocolate.  Tempers well and tastes great.  Use it in a variety of projets.

Have approx 30 cases remaining.

$150/case

It is difficult not knowing your formulas and methods. If you are mixing at too low a temp, it can break, or if your ratios are off. In general, if I have a ganache that breaks, or looks like it might, I just stream some water into it as I am mixing. This will  smooth it out. I'm sure it has to do with water in fat, or fat in water emulsions.

I did the Chocolatier class with them. I did like it, but the lack of hands on one on one experience was sometimes frustrating. Especially when you are trying to temper chocolate for the first time on your own. You never have the immediate satisfaction of someone saying, yes that's tempered or no this is what you did wrong. On the other hand, I learned a lot about the beans/plantations, ingredients, industry... It was very useful as an introduction. I really wish that they had more videos and photography to guide you and that they offered a weekly class Skype meeting with the teachers or something similar. They say that many people in the world that take their classes don't have an internet connection that is good enough, but it would be great to offer the option.

I'm really interested in the bean to bar class. Based on my experience, I'm curious how much the bean to bar course would cover in terms of hands on bean to bar making. Can someone really take that class and begin a bean to bar business or is it more of an educational course about the movement?

I really don't regret taking the course it opened my eyes up to a whole new world of chocolate that is not just the confectionary part.

Do you have an especific method?

Thanks!

Clay, the cooling tunnel that I am in need of would measure 12 inches in width and 24 feet in length, but can be a bit longer or shorter in length depending on what is available.  I also need a pre-bottomer that is 12 inches in width.  I do have an enrober w tempering unit.

I need to purchease these used.

Please let me know if you or anyone can help.  Delivery to the US.

Thanks so much!

There are a lot of factors, such as your method, temperatures and ratios. It sounds conterintuitive, but adding water will usually bring it back.

Does anyone know how to mend a split ganache?

Tryed to do a dark chocolate lemon ganache and it was totally ruinned.. Read somewhere that it could be caused by adding the chocolate to the cream and not the other way around... Could that be it?

I have been making dairy-free chocolates for a few years now.  I've experimented with canned coconut milk (and coconut cream), coconut oil and other nondairy milks for making ganaches.  I haven't noticed any difference in shelf life from when I made dairy ganaches to now using canned coconut milk and/or coconut oil.  I've always considered the shelf life to be about a month.  You need to consider the water content of whatever nondairy substitute you are using to help you think about the shelf life.  The higher the water content (water activity), the shorter the shelf life.  I have not used agave as a sweetener, but I'm wondering if you can think of it like glucose which can actually stabilize your product and extend its shelf life.  I found this website with specific information about agave being used as a stabilizer.  Go to: http://www.international-organics.com/info-files/Intl_Organics_Organic_Agave_Info.pdf

Hope you find success with your dairy-free chocolates. 

EZtemper got a little write up in the Hot Chocolate section of Dessert Professional this month.

(Source:  Dessert Professional  Aug/Sept 2015 page 112)

Hi Tracey

If this is still available can you contact me at: guppyschocolates@gmail.com

Peter

Good morning,

we are located in Las Vegas with 8,000sqf facility including Bean to Bar manufactoring.

please don't hesitate to contact us at 702-222-0535 or jma@jmauboinechocolates.com

we can create and design the products you need on a complete separate line use for our bean to bar organic chocolate only.

looking forward to talk to you soon.

Jean-Marie Auboine

Melanie -

I need to ask some questions for clarity. 

You need tunnels that are 12 inches or 24 inches wide, correct? Or 12 inches wide and 24 feet long? Also you are looking for used? You have the tempering machine(s) and enrober(s) already? 

And this is for delivery in the US?

Thanks in advance,
:: Clay

I am in need of cooling tunnels 12' wide and 24' or so, and a pre-bottomer, same width.  Also in need of cooling table, depositor, and caramel kettle.  Please let me know if you would like to part with yours.

I am making a dairy free ganache, replacing the cream with coconut cream and the butter with coconut oil. Will this make my ganache have a shorter shelf life? Any idea of what the shelf life will be? Also, I'm using agave syrup as my sweetner- will this alter the shelf life since it is a wet sugar, so in turn adding more liquid to teh recipe?

Thanks!

I'll be doing tests tomorrow with the coconut cream and let you know. At the moment, the recipe is only cocoa with coconut milk and agave syrup. It definitely has a melt away mouth feel and I believe that if we can get a bit more strenght from the coconut cream, then we can have something that won't collapse or melt as easily, but still keep the texture in our mouths. Got my fingers crossed!

Would the ratios of chocolate to coconut oil be the same as chocolate to cream to achieve a meltaway?  I currenly pipe my meltaways into a shell and they are very popular, but I'd like to try some that are not shelled.  I don't know how to get that meltaway texture without it being too soft.

I am working with a chocolatier who makes a ganache using coconut oil. They have a great "melting" mouth feel, but the ganache melts when it is hot and causes the bonbon to collapse. I am considering using coconut ceam to make it have a slightly harder consistency. Any idea how this will affect shelf life? Has anyone tried this combination of coconut oil and coconut cream/milk?

@daniel-herskovic 

Where are you located? I'm interested in contract manufacturing on the East Coast.

Hi!

I've been lately interested on buying a melanger, after searching for a while, I've seen that besides for grounding cocoa beans into chocolate, you can also use it to make nut butters, tahini etc..

Yet what caught my attention is the Cocoatown melanger. Also heard of santha but this ones seems to me easier to handle and afford for some reason.

Has anyone tried making nut butters / tahini etc with their melanger (any kind)?

I'd be happy if anyone who own the cocoaT melanger can post some feedback and tips regarding it.

Thanks

Thanks Jayne, I will give it another go using this technique. 

Bump

I love that cutter I have two.  It may depend on the amount of fat your recipe has in it.  You could certainly oil the blades.  I cut toffee with it too.  When I cut caramel I roll it over the caramel with a bit of pressure and continue rolling it back and forth until it is all the way through.  Then I turn and go the opposite way.  My caramel is almost 1" thick.  I have also cut marshmallows with it, however with these I do oil the blades.  Hope this helps.

I bought a multi wheel caramel cutter from Tomric and am having a heck of a time using it. Either the caramel sticks to it and then rolls up with the cutter or if I make a stiffer caramel it doesn't cut through it? AM I doing something wrong or is there a trick to it? I have watched a few youtube videos and it look so easy...

Caramel is 3/4 inch thick and a medium bite. Does the cutter need to be lubricated? Any suggestions would be appreciated.   

I bought a multi wheel caramel cutter from Tomric and am having a heck of a time using it. Either the caramel sticks to it and then rolls up with the cutter or if I make a stiffer caramel it doesn't cut through it? AM I doing something wrong or is there a trick to it? I have watched a few youtube videos and it look so easy...

Caramel is 3/4 inch thick and a medium bite. Does the cutter need to be lubricated? Any suggestions would be appreciated.   

Hi Brad,

Sounds like a nice machine. Just what I'm looking for. Could you send me some more information ?  

Thanks

Olivier

Thanks Clay, i must confess i hadnt actually heard of them before so was curious to see if anyone had used them on here. I am meeting with a Casa Franceshi representative, Juan Diego Franceshi, on tuesday in London so sounds promising that they have either warehoused it in the UK or in Europe.

hi, brandon, i need your help

I was offered this same machine that you have, I want to ask if it works well, you who think, should I buy !?

thnks 

Can you get back to me I really am interested in the machine

wilma@chocolatefx.ca

18663601660

Hello,

I will travel to Tanzania in October 2015, with the aim to visit cocoa farmers and learn more about cocoa plantations and post-harvest. Any suggestions of contacts would be most welcome. You can contact me by email gmetz@ecacaos.com.

Thanks.

I have finally gotten around to finalizing the design of my own tempering machine, and have written a wireless interface which allows me to control all aspects of the machine from my phone (or computer).  The cool thing though is that the application steps through the ENTIRE tempering process - heating, cooling, and reheating. No need to worry about seed. No need to worry about chocolate crawling out of the machine.  Etc.  Even if the chocolate is solid in the bowl, the application controls the motor and will turn it on only after some of it has melted.

It also has the built in functionality of simply heating and holding the chocolate at whatever temperature you want (such as overnight heating), so that all you need to do is push the button in the morning to start the tempering cycle. 

No more seeding

No more lightbulbs

"Smart" completely automated tempering cycle

super easy to clean

much larger bowl (about twice that of hilliards)

smaller paddle (allows for more working area)

Runs on a phone, computer, or tablet and controls the machine from anywhere in the shop (not necessary, but definitely a cool thing!  LOL)

No tempering experience needed.  The application even has voice commands and suggestions.

Priced about $500 less than a Lil Dipper (which only costs about $500 to build in the first place)

A prototype has been running in my shop now for a couple of weeks.  I turn it on in the morning and more or less forget about it for the rest of the day.

My staff now want me to change over all of my machines in the shop to work the same as this one!  Haha!

Kickstarter to take it to CSA-UL approval is coming soon.

Photo of the user interface is attached.

...I guess now the cat's out of the bag

 GUIBackgroundV2.jpg - 61KB

Hello,

Thanks Larry!  That's just what I was looking for.

By the way, when you reference the "new" style of hilliards machine (digital), are there any other changes, such as different heat source than a light bulb, or any automated functions?

We are located in Athens, GA.

Nick

Hilliard 6inch temperer with longer style belt 

Metering pump for molds  

Hilliard shaker table

All in fine shape.

$12k obo  

Delivery within 1000mi of NH possible

In person instructions possible

Alan - 603-661-2377

Hi.

Can anyone out there who has a Hilliards Little Dipper tempering machine take a look and let me know what the motor brand and model number is?

Thanks!

Brad

Where are you located? Robert

Like new Savage Bros 50lb tempering machine with pneumatic depositor. Purchased last fall and only used 5 or 6 times. $7500 OBO.

James -

I've known Alberto Franceschi for about five years now, and Domori has used beans grown by Franceschi on the Hacienda San Jose for their origin and varietal bars. So I think that those beans can be used to make very good chocolates. I am not sure which beans you are looking to purchase, but they do know what they are doing.

Getting the export permits could be challenging, but perhaps the beans are already in a warehouse outside Venezuela.

Looking to buy a Savage portable agitator. 20x11.  Need asap.